Seasonality of eating pathology on the eating attitudes test in a nonclinical population

Objective: To determine whether there are seasonal fluctuations in eating p athology in a nonclinical population. Method: The Eating Attitudes Test (EA T) was completed by 322 subjects during winter and again during summer. Sum mer and winter responses were compared to investigate differences in EAT to tal and subscale scores and for individual EAT items. Numbers of subjects f luctuating across the seasons by more than 2 SDs of the cohort's scores wer e identified. Results: The cohort showed no significant seasonal change on EAT-40 totals, EAT-26 totals, or within the EAT subscales. There were signi ficant (p < .025) seasonal fluctuations on four of the EAT-40 questions. Fo r individual respondents, there was no greater likelihood of scoring signif icantly higher in the winter than in the summer. Discussion: Clinically sig nificant seasonal fluctuations in eating pathology on the EAT did not occur in this nonclinical population. It is debatable whether items within the E AT which show significant seasonal fluctuations should be retained or disca rded. (C) 2000 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.